Christmas celebration
THE coronavirus disease (COVID 2019) pandemic, which has killed more than 44,000 people in the Philippines, is expected to dampen anew this year’s celebration of Christmas.
In fact, Filipinos, like other people throughout the world, are still up against one of their “greatest” challenges: The dreaded COVID-19 remains a major problem of everybody.
The pandemic has devastated the world economy, displacing millions of workers, including hundreds of thousands of Filipinos not only in the country but overseas.
Hopefully, concerned state authorities ease quarantine restrictions to enable the people, particularly the youngsters, to celebrate the Christmas Season with relatives and friends.
But despite the health crisis, the holiday season in the country, which is the longest in the world, started on September 1, the first of the four “ber” months of the year.
In fact, multi-colored Christmas lights now illuminate many homes, streets, buildings and other structures in preparation for the start of the traditional “Simbang Gabi.”
A Filipino Christmas tradition among Catholics and Aglipayans,”Simbang Gabi” or “Misa de Gallo” is a series of nine dawn masses on the days leading up to December 25.
It begins on December 16 and ends at midnight on the 24th of December, when a midnight mass is held in Catholic and Aglipayan churches across the country.
Without doubt, there is a rising sentiment that our countrymen should be allowed to enjoy the holiday season.
Pero dapat huwag nating kalimutang sundin ang mga health and safety protocol para matuldukan na ang pandemyang nagpapahirap sa ating lahat mula pa noong nakaraang taon.
